PWA World Cup Sylt 2012 – Day 2

2012 Sylt sees monster waveaction and the Köstermania continuing on day 2

The mission for day 2 was a clear: “We are going to push for the wavesailing discipline”, Duncan Coombs, the racedirector, stated in the morning on day 2. And his plan definitely paid off in the end. The men´s single elimination got completed just before the light was gone at 6.00 pm. Day 2 was a really exciting day and we saw excellent conditions at the Brandenburger Beach on Sylt. The conditions were probably the best conditions we have seen here on Sylt. Side-onshore to almost sideshore conditions, 20 to 30 knots throughout the whole afternoon mixed with 2 to 3 meter high and powerful waves. Finally Sylt got what it deserves: stunning conditions for wavesailing!

Philip Köster – Pic: HOCH ZWEI / Sebastian Schöffel

Thousands of spectators witnessed a big show and saw in the end Philip Köster winning. He is the darling of the public here on Sylt and after Philip got announced as the winner, a big crowd of people surrounded him on the beach. “The more heats I sailed, the more I found my rhytm today and I am very happy to make it on top of the ranking for the very first time in my career here at Sylt!”, a very happy Philip Köster stated after the single.

The winners final against Fernandez was not the best heat of Köster, but he showed once more his incredible competition sailing qualities, whereby he can pull any trick out of his never ending armor to overcome any obstacle (sailor) in his way.

But Philip´s most important heat of the day was against Spaniard Alex Mussolini, who was on fire. Mussolini nailed the most extreme Frontside wave 360°s of the day, carved them extremely vertical and just escaped the big white water walls afterwards. But Mussolini missed to show two good jumps against Philip, because he was not able to find good ramps.

Victor Fernandez – Pic: HOCH ZWEI / Sebastian Schöffel

After Alex lost against Philip he had to sail against Ricardo Campello for the remaining place on the podium in the single elimination. Ricardo landed a firework of airmoves and scored big points with his signature move, the onehanded onfooted Forward. That´s a risky move. Köster as well confirmed this at the beach.

“I am super super happy and very very tired, it was a very long day. I got third place on the single elimination in Sylt. The conditions were really hard and we had some really close heats, but now this put me on 3rd place overall. But there is still a lot to go!” (Ricardo Campello after the single elimination)

Alex Mussolini was a bit unlucky in the end of the day and made it in fourth position.

Mussolini goes big (Carter/PWA 2012).

Philip must have felt like in heaven when he returned to the beach after his final heat. Thousand of enthusiastic fans welcomed him at the beach. It looked like a scenario we only know from Surfing Cups, Snowboard or Skiing events. But now it also happens in windsurfing, too. The Köstermania is full on and the Germans love him. A new chapter in windsurfing is on.

Philip won for the first time here on Sylt. 2008 he managed to get 17th, 2009 he got kicked out in the first round and finished in 33rd position only, 2010 and 2011 saw no suitable conditions. And in 2012 the 18 year old super talent from Vargas, Gran Canaria, is able to win the event. Let´s see what the double elimination will bring, but in the worst case the current world champion will finish the event in 2nd position overall.

The ladies elimination got started as well and just 2 heats are missing. The super twins Iballa and Daida Moreno made it into the final. Laure Treboux lost in a tight heat very close to Iballa, who had a lot of bad luck in her semifinal. First she broke a mast and later the front piece of her boom opened during sailing, but Iballa was still able to qualify with the last waveride in her heat.

The last two remaining runs in the ladies single elimination, the winners and the losers final could not be sailed as it was already dark.

The forecast is excellent again. The wavesailors will have their skippersmeeting at 9.00 with a first possible start at 9.30. The same for the freestyle sailors. The Slalom sailors will meet at 10.00 and start the first races at 10.30, if the conditions are not good enough for the wave- or freestyle discipline.

The forecast for the whole week is very promising. It looks, as if there is every day wind. What a great Sylt 2012!